That Old Black Magic
by ShoW gUrL
Summary: Hermione enters her last year at Hogwarts as HeadGirl. The golden trio is made junior members of the order, and thus she has her first task and what ensues. Full summary inside.
1. Default Chapter

Summary: Hermione Granger returns to Hogwarts for her seventh and final year as the HeadGirl. With the threat of war growing more abundant everyday, the golden trio is made junior members of the order of the phoenix. Severus Snape is still acting as a spy for the order, but Voldemort becomes more and more suspicious. Hermione is thus given her first task as an official member...but can she keep her mind on the task at hand?  
  
Warnings: This is HG/SS indefinitely. And is rated R for a damn good reason. If this does not hold your fancy then stop reading now!  
  
Disclaimer: I own absolutely NOTHING. It all belongs to the amazing J.K. Rowling. So don't sue. Oh, and by the way, the beginning of the hats song isn't mine either. It was in book five!  
  
That Old Black Magic  
  
Chapter One: The Return to Hogwarts  
  
The Great Hall rang with laughter and tidings as everyone anxiously took their seats. The war against Voldemort had become a very near threat in the recent, so everyone was happy to finally return to Hogwarts. The sky portrayed in the ceiling told nothing of the hardships that had plagued their summer, and which would indeed harass their time at Hogwarts. But for the moment, Voldemort and the war was forgotten, as the new first years marched wide-eyed to the front of the hall. MgGonagall perched her glasses upon her nose and dutifully unrolled a very long piece of parchment. Behind her was the tattered sorting hat, silently awaiting its yearly moment to shine. The mouth at the brim opened wide and it began its traditional song.  
  
"In times of old when I was new  
And Hogwarts barely started  
The founders of our noble school  
Thought never to be parted  
United by a common goal..."  
  
Hermione Granger turned her head from the singing hat to gaze around the hall. Harry had definitely grown since their first year, the Quidditch had served him well. Ron still had not outgrown his lankiness, but development shined by means of his new goatee. He was now absent-mindedly stroking the small red stubble, while watching the hat. She turned her head towards the Slytherin table, looking for Malfoy. His short blonde hair stuck out and he quickly felt her gaze upon him. Malfoy looked up and then around at the other Slytherins, and quickly smiled at Hermione. His normal sneer slithered back onto his face.  
  
"He really has changed," she thought. Ever since his dad had escaped from Azkaban, Draco had sworn to become another spy like Snape.  
  
"Where is the greasy twit anyhow?" Hermione quietly asked herself. She chanced a glance up at him, and found his trademark sneer plastered on his face.  
  
"He hasn't changed a bit. Overgrown bat." She snorted to herself. Although there really wasn't any anger behind her snide remark this time. Hermione found her eyes roaming his pale face and neck. His black hair hung low over his face, concealing his eyes. His head snapped up and he looked directly at Hermione. She held his gaze, looking into those dark ebony eyes searching for...something. They held eachothers stares just until the sorting hat had yelled,  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!" Hermione quickly recovered herself and began to clap along with the rest of her house. She chanced a look back up at Snape, but he was now focussed on the little student who had taken the stool. She felt a shiver go down her spine at the memory of his black eyes, searching her, judging her.  
  
"SLYTHERIN!" Snape momentarily clapped along with the rest of his house, then lost interest. Hermione snorted to herself. It was just like him to show no interest.  
  
"Wait...now when did I start knowing what was 'just like him'?" She wondered quietly. She shrugged this thought off as another student was sorted into Gryffindor. This particular student was small and scrawny and he took a seat next to Harry.  
  
Finally the sorting had finished and all the new first years were seated in their new houses. Ron looked longingly at an empty plate of food, willing Dumbledore to hurry his speech. Dumbledore rose from his seat at the staff table and looked merrily down at everyone.  
  
"Welcome back, to what looks like to be another promising year at Hogwarts." His smile radiated throughout the room.  
  
"Just a few notices before we begin our well needed feast. Mr. Filch, our caretaker has asked me to remind you that there is no magic allowed in the halls between classes. And there is also a full list of rules posted on his office door. As well, no one is permitted inside the forbidden forest at any times during the year. I would like to extend a welcome to our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Mr. Remus Lupin." The Gryffindor table cheered loudly, welcoming back and old friend. The Slytherins however scowled up at him.  
  
"Yes, wonderful. I would also like to take this chance to introduce you all to our head boy and girl. Our Headboy is Mr. Ernie MacMillan, and our Headgirl is Miss Hermione Granger." Once again the Gryffindor table clapped the hardest, and Hermione shrank back into her seat, blushing profusely.  
  
"With that out of the way, let the feast begin." Dumbledore clapped his hands once and all sorts of food appeared on the empty platters.  
  
The Great Hall had once again filled with laughter and merriment.  
  
"So 'Mione, what did you do this summer?" Ron asked through a mouthful of mashed potatoes.  
  
"Not much Ron. I studied mostly." Harry and Ron looked up at her wide- eyed and mouths open.  
  
"Studied?!? But 'Mione, it was the summer holidays, what was there to study?" Ron looked at her incredulously.  
  
"NEWTS are this year, or have you two forgotten? I've already started reviewing our last six years here." Harry and Ron looked at her friend as if she had gone stark raving mad, then burst into fits of laughter.  
  
"What's so funny?" She asked innocently.  
  
"Oh, nothing 'Mione. Its just the you haven't changed a bit." Harry stated through laughs.  
  
"Yeah, yeah. So what have YOU two been up to then?" The two boys looked at eachother, a hint of worry on their faces.  
  
"Nothing much really. You know the Dursleys." Harry cringed at this name. Ron looked back at his plate and muttered,  
  
"Yeah, nothing much." And then went back to the chicken on his plate. Hermione watched the two of them, silently wondering what that was all about. She decided to leave them be for the moment, and would ask them later. She glanced back up at the staff table and found Snape looking back at her. That familiar shiver ran down her spine again and she felt her face begin to flush a little as she looked back down at her plate.  
  
"Have I gone mad?" She asked herself. Why was she blushing every time Snape looked at her, and why did she all of a sudden become really hot when his eyes met hers? She pushed this thought to the back of her mind again as Dumbledore stood to end the feast.  
  
"Well, that was a magnificent feast I should say. Now if you would all follow your prefects back to your dormitories, we can all retire for the night." Dumbledore smiled again and then turned his head to Snape and whispered something.  
  
Hermione rose from her seat to guide everyone back to Gryffindor when Snape came up behind her. She whipped around and felt that now customary heat rise in her.  
  
"Miss Granger, the Headmaster requests your presence in his office immediately. Along with Mr's Potter and Weasley." With that he flew out of the Great Hall, his cape billowing angrily behind him. The three gave each other quizzical looks, but proceeded to Dumbledore's office.  
  
A/N: BOO! I'm back with another HG/SS story. I hope you like so far..this chapter is really kinda like a prologue. It will get more interesting, I PROMISE. LOL. Anyhoo review please! Toodles and Hugs. MUAH! 


	2. For the Order

Disclaimer: I still don't own anything. SIGH.  
  
Black Magic  
  
Chapter 2: For the Order  
  
Hermione, Harry and Ron walked cautiously towards the Gargoyle that guarded Dumbledores office. They stood in front of it looking to each other for the right password.  
  
"Err..."Hermione started, but the Gargoyle seemed to expect their presence and it sprang to life and jumped aside. The three made their way into Dumbledore's office and stood apprehensively at the door. Dumbledore looked at them over his half moon spectacles with the familiar twinkle in his eyes and said,  
  
"Ah, there you are. Please have a seat." The trio took seats across from Dumbledore, a bit nervous. The door to the office swung open and in walked a very angry Severus Snape.  
  
"Ah, Severus, nice of you to join us, please have a seat." Snape looked down at the man, but obliged and sat down in the seat next to Hermione. She immediately felt the heat radiating from him and had to take a deep breath to steady her beating heart.  
  
"Good. Now that we are all here, we can begin the meeting." The trio looked confusedly to each other, hoping one of them had an answer. Snape kept his black eyes on the wall behind Dumbledore, no doubt trying to keep his anger in check.  
  
"Harry, Ron, Hermione. I'm sure you are well aware that Voldemort has indeed returned to his full power. The Order of the Phoenix is working very hard to ensure the safety of the magical community, but we are in dire need for more competent members." Dumbledore stated calmly, looking at the three with a large smile.  
  
"We have thus decided to make the three of you official members of the Order." Ron let out a whoop of joy, relieved that they weren't in any kind of trouble. A smile passed over Hermione's lips, but she wondered what Snape had anything to do with the situation. He was a member of the order, true, but why was he needed here for their initiation? She looked to Snape trying to read his expression, but as always, it was quite blank.  
  
"Yes Miss Granger. I am sure you are wondering why Professor Snape was called here for this meeting, am I right?" Hermione nodded her head, pleased that the headmaster had understood her expression.  
  
"Which brings me to your first tasks. Harry, Ron, I know you get along very well with Professor Lupin and have a knack for the Dark Arts, so I am assigning the two of you to work alongside him. You will be trying to find a counter-curse for the unforgivables. Professor Lupin is waiting for the two of you in his office." Harry and Ron stood and glanced one last time over at Hermione, in an apologetic manner. Once they had left Dumbledore started again.  
  
"Miss Granger. You have shown an immense amount of interest and talent in potions over the years. Therefore, as an apprentice you will be aiding Professor Snape to brew a most complicated potion for the use of the order." Hermione sat back and let all the information sink in. She would be working closely with her most feared professor. Was that such a bad thing though?  
  
"You will be working with him immediately as it takes months to brew. I'm sure the two of you will work well together." Dumbledore said with that twinkle in his eyes. Was it just her, or was there something more in Dumbledores eyes?  
  
"Of course Headmaster. May I ask what the potion is?"  
  
"I will inform you later Miss Granger. For now I think our little meeting is over. Now if you'll excuse us, I wish to speak with the Headmaster alone." Snape spat at her, with his velvet voice. Hermione looked to Dumbledore and the older man just nodded his head. She rose to leave before Snape caught her arm. Hermione's heart nearly jumped out of her chest at the sudden contact, and her knees grew weak at his touch. His dark eyes penetrated her soul and Hermione felt the little hairs on the back of her neck rise. Why did she suddenly feel this way?  
  
"Miss Granger, you will meet me in the Potions class in an hour. We have a lot to do to get started, so don't be late." He held on to her arm for a little while longer, looking up into her eyes.  
  
The shiver that ran up Snape's arm and down his spine surprised him to no end. He quickly pulled his hand back from her arm and continued to look down at his feet. Hermione simply nodded her head and quickly left the office. Once outside she leaned back against the wall, cold sweat trickling over her skin. The area where he had touched her still tingled. She sighed and asked herself,  
  
"What is wrong with you Hermione?"  
  
"Albus, is this really necessary? I am perfectly capable of brewing this potion on my own." Severus sighed into the night air. Although a slight pang of pain rippled through him at the thought of losing Hermione as his apprentice.  
  
Hermione? Since when did she stop being Miss Granger?  
  
"Yes Severus I know. There are other reasons for why she was paired with you." Dumbledore stated, smiling knowingly at Severus.  
  
Damnable man. Realizing that there was nothing more to this conversation, Snape arose and left the office. He was supposed to meet Hermione in an hour. Miss Granger. He whispered, mentally kicking himself.  
  
A/N: This is really just another set up chapter. The good stuff is still coming! Thanx to those who reviewed!!! MUAH 


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